


Custody battle

by Anonymous



Series: Lilac Fufills Prompts [1]
Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers: Prime
Genre: Gen, Kidnapping, Long Lost/Secret Relatives, Parent-Child Relationship, Prisoner of War, Torture
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-16
Updated: 2020-10-22
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:47:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 3,661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22751995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Bumblebee has no idea who his Kindlers were. He's pretty sure the died in the fall of Iacon but honstly he doesn't remember. He was raised by Chromia and Ironhind, and now he's an autobot Soldire, so why is the enemies so hung up on his parentage.Written for Maccadam's Back RoomWork in progress
Relationships: background Chromia/Ironhide, past Megatron/Optimus Prime
Series: Lilac Fufills Prompts [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1982557
Comments: 172
Kudos: 164
Collections: Maccadam's Back Room First Run





	1. Interogation

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by Anonymous in the [Maccadams1](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/Maccadams1) collection. 



> **Prompt:**
> 
> Bumblebee knows he's adopted, and he loves Ironhide and Chromia more than anything. He stopped being curious about his kindlers a long time ago - only for it to be revealed on Earth that Optimus is his carrier and Megatron his unknowing sire. Of the two of them, it's not Megatron he would expect to be the one actually trying to be a family.
> 
> \+ "Of course, you don't have to be the heir to the Decepticon empire, but if you wanted to be, the whole universe could be yours."  
> ++ Bumblebee's helmet comes off and underneath is a sensory crown/dandelion head like Megatron's in IDW
> 
> Okay so tenically speaking I think I botched the prompt, and this is actually happening decidedly before they reach earth, but it's still after Bee's mostly grown up, with any luck I'm following the spirit of the prompt sufficently, I just got distracted by how this might have played out in something like the prime universe, but really this is a continuity mash-up I'm just grabbing anything I like.
> 
> Once again beta read by Mogsetof and Paraxial, Huge thank you to both of them.  
> You have no idea how bad my Grammar is without their help.

"Where is Optimus?" Megatron tightened his grip around Bumblebee's throat, pressing into his energon cabling and vocaliser. 

Bee didn't respond, couldn't actually, not with the way Megatron's hand was pressing against his vocaliser. It would have been amusing if his pain circuitry wasn't screaming and the error messages weren't piling up. 

Megatron released his grip and Bee fell to the floor. 

"Where's the allspark?"

This time Bumblebee's silence was entirely deliberate. It earned him a kick to the chassis. The force of it sent his body sliding across the floor.

His helm clamps had been broken earlier in the interrogation, and now his helmet went skidding across the floor, his helm petals fanning put around his head. 

Frag, they were far too sensitive to be out like this. It was bad enough when someone just touched the carelessly. He didn't know what he would choose between betraying the Autobot cause, giving up Optimus and the allspark's location, and having the delicate sensors crushed one by one. 

He tensed, expecting at any moment the overwhelming pain of one of the delicate petals being stepped on, but the pain never came. Instead there was only the sound of the door closing.

It took a while, but eventually he managed to sit up. He was alone in the cell. It didn't make any sense.

It was Starscream that re-entered the room. Starscream sneered at him, and Bumblebee shrunk back. His petals were still fanned out around his head. 

"Who were your kindlers?"

The question caught Bee completely off guard; he answered before he had time to realise he probably shouldn't. "I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know? Everyone knows who their kindlers are, or at least their Originator. So who was it?"

"No."

"Really, you want to go back to torture?" He raised his hand, claws out as he reached for one of the petals. This was going to hurt a lot. 

Then Starscream dropped his hand, clearly talking on an internal com channel. 

Bee focused; since his sensor panels were out anyway he might as well make use of them.

::But Megatron he's not going to tell us anything if he's not afraid of me.::

::I don't care. You won't harm him at all till we know for certain one way or the other.::

::You wanted me to take over this interrogation for a reason.::

::Starscream: correct, Megatron: too close.::

::Whose side are you on?::

::Soundwave also desires truth.::

::Fine, but Starscream- keep in mind that if you can't fix him afterwards I will be replicating the damage on you.::

::Fine.::

Starscream turned his attention back to Bumblebee. "Now, where were we?"

Bee shrunk back, trying to act like he hadn't just heard Megatron order Starscream not to hurt him. "I told you I don't know."

Starscream curled his claws around one of the petals. "That's right. I was going to tear these delicate things off one by one until you tell me who your originator was."

Bee froze. He wouldn't… he couldn't, Megatron had ordered him not to hurt him. 

Starscream smirked. "Oh I know you can use them to eavesdrop on com calls, But I also know how very sensitive they are. I lived through the fall of Vos, do you really think you can out last me? Even if Megatron rips my wings off, it won’t be the worst punishment I’ve suffered through. Now, who is your Originator?"

"I don't know who my originator was! I really don't! Things were really bad when I was sparked, I didn't get to defrag for ages so my first memories after sparking are unrecoverable."

Starscream hissed in annoyance "Well, what do you remember?"

“First thing I really remember was Optimus giving me to Chromia and Ironhide. I think it was just after Iacon was bombed. Everything was really busted up, he must have found me in the wreckage. He made this big speech about how he was Prime now and he couldn’t take on the responsibility of raising a sparkling.”

“You didn’t think it was strange that he thought he  _ should  _ raise you himself?”

“Not really no, Optimus is just kind of like that, he’ll adopt human children if Prowl doesn’t stop him.”

Starscream sneered. "You didn't think it was possible that Optimus Prime was your originator?"

"Not really, no."

Starscream groaned. "Great, just great." 

He stormed out of the room leaving Bumblebee confused and alone with his thoughts. His kindlers were both no doubt dead along with most of the rest of the Cybertronian population. Why did it matter who they had been? 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Change of plans im gonna update with short chapters as often as i can.
> 
> Basically begging me for updates is highly effective. 
> 
> ((also... Doing this from my phone so forgive any errors that make it through))

“We’re willing to offer one hundred astrolitres of fuel for the safe return of the autobot recruit Bumblebee.” If prowl was at all startled by the appearance of Megatron, where he would normally see Soundwave he didn’t show it. 

Megatron glared. “I want to speak to Prime.”

Prowl frowned. “You know full well I handle these negotiations for the autobots.”

“And I want to speak to Prime.”

Prowl was silent for a long moment, no doubt running calculations and simulations. “Very well. Name your terms for the safe return of Bumblebee.”

“I want to talk to Optimus.”

“I am aware. However I have been designated to negotiate the terms for the safe return of Bumblebee, so you will be talking with me until such time as we have negotiated terms.”

Megatron growled in frustration. “Fine, one hundred astrolitres and a three debibreem video call with Prime."

Prowl nodded, "I can arrange that, his creators want proof of life though.”

Megatron jumped on the opening. “Who were his creators.”

"I fail to see how that is any of your business."

"it is if i intend to allow them video contact with their sparkling."

Prowl forced cool air across his processor. Megatron was just trying to make this unnecessarily difficult. He couldn’t let it get to him. “Chromia and Ironhide.”

Megatron shook his head, “No they adopted him. I asked who his creators were.”

“That information is not available. Bumblebee was orphaned in the Fall of Iacon.”

Prowl could practically feel the frustration in Megatron’s field, even across a vid-call. “No. Stop messing me around. Tell Optimus if he wants Bumblebee returned alive then I will provide proof of life to his carrier not anyone else.”

“You understand that this may take us some time.” 

“Take all the time you want, Vortex was asking me to hold off on negotiations.”

Prowl didn’t move an inch, He refused to let megatron see how much that comment had shaken him. He ended the call, opening a Comline. “Optimus, we have a problem.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So it's really short, but also, it's really soon, that cancles out right? 
> 
> (gonna try to update again tomorrow, if I can figure out how to do Chromia justice...)

Megatron slammed his first into the consol, thankfully not hitting anything important. 

“Did you really expect Prowl to tell you anything?” Starscream said. 

“Prowl may not know Bumblebee’s parentage.” Soundwave broke in before another argument broke out. “Spark frequency test should provide answers.”

“Yes of course, and we all know spark frequency tests are completely reliable.” Sarcasm was heavy in starscream’s field. “Especially when the catalyst never had any contact with the newspark post spitting."

"Test will show originator accurately, will test against frequency reading of Optimus Prime."

"Yes yes but that doesn't mean…"

  
"Starscream." Megatron said engine rumbling if you finish your sentence we really will find out how well you can handle having your wings ripped off. I  _ knew _ orion. If he is Bumblebee's originator then I was the catalyst.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hah new chapter :)
> 
> I really don't know how long I can keep this up I am genuinely making this up as I go. 
> 
> as always it's your comments and Kudos that keep me going.

They'd gathered in the small conference room, Not the normal complement of command staff though. Only Optimus, Prowl, Chromia and Ironhide were in attendance. 

Ironhide frowned looking around the room. “This is about Bumblebee isn’t it?”

“Yes, twelve breems ago Megatron contacted and demanded to speak with Optimus. He was obstinate and single minded. He agreed to terms of a conversation with Optimus and some energon for the safe return of Bumblebee.”

“You don’t sound like you believe he will keep to his terms.” Ironhide commented. 

“I do not. When proof of life was requested he became erratic and demanded to know who Bumblebee’s creators were.” He turned his attention to Optimus. “Is there a reason Megatron is suddenly very interested in the parentage of an Iaconian Orphan?” 

Optimus shifted uncomfortably. 

“Huh,” Ironhide said softly, “So the catalyst was a con then?”

“What?” Prowl’s attention snapped to Ironhide. “You knew about this?” 

“Obviously not the con part, but I figured everyone knew Bee was Optimus’s Kid.”

Silence filled the conference room. 

“Really? It’s not like Bee was the only Iacon war orphan, But he is the only one who’s been stationed at the same base as Optimus through the entire war.”

“Hide, Bee’s been stationed at the same base as Optimus because we’ve been stationed at the same base as Optimus.” Chromia said. “Which isn’t much of a conspiracy since we’re Optimus’s personal guards.”

“Yeah but Optimus asked us  _ personally  _ to look after him.”

She nodded. “Alright I’ll buy that. I still don’t see why it matters now. If Megatron won’t give us Bee back I’ll work with Jazz to get him back.”

Eventually Optimus spoke. “It might not be that simple. Megatron was the catalyst.” 


	5. Chapter 5

Starscream lounged at the console, tapping his sharpened fingers rhythmically. 

“Seems like the Autobots aren’t interested in talking to you.”

Megatron’s engine rumbled and he was about to snap at the seeker when Soundwave returned. 

“Analysis complete: result negative.”

“What?” Megatron snapped. 

Starscream laughed, “I told you those tests never work for the catalyst.”

“Starscream: incorrect. Result: Optimus Prime is not originator.”

Silence filled the command room. 

"You're certain?"

"Spark spectrum analysis shows no matches."

"None at all?" Starscream demanded.

Megatron frowned, rage radiating through his field. "We've been foolish. I want to know the location of their flagship. Give him to Vortex."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any guesses whats going on? :)
> 
> Also, what does this mean for bumblebee? Will megatron find out in time?


	6. Bumblebee

Bumblebee wouldn't say he was used to being interrogated. He didn't think anyone was. Okay maybe Jazz, but Jazz was in and out of decepticon controlled space so often Bee didn't even know if he counted. 

In any case Bee had been captured and interrogated enough for him to know how it went. Patched up by a medic if needed, an interrogator having a go at him to see if they could get any intel, and then exchanged back to the autobots, either for decepticons captives or resources. The war had dragged on far too long. There weren't enough of them left. Mechs still died in the heat of battle but it was rare for them to be executed. Prisoners were worth far more alive. A soldier returned to the enemy meant a friend returned alive. 

This time though this time had been weird. Megatron interrogating him personally had been terrifying. Then Starscream took over and the abrupt change in questioning topic. Why would it matter who his creators had been. He was a war orphan, He was far from the only one. A lot of mecha had died at the start of the war. A lot of civilians had died. Bee didn’t like to think about it, his parents had died when the Decepticons bombed Iacon, but he had no memories of them, not even his originator. Sometimes that made it worse. 

In short this interrogation was  _ weird. _

Then Vortex walked into the interrogation room and it stopped being weird. 

Bee decided he really would have preferred it to stay weird. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay so it's not super important, but I figured I'd explain it here.   
> I up making this up as I go, but some of the spark reproduction stuff, and word choice XD
> 
> So the Originator is the primary parent, mum, or carrier is the more comon term of comparison.   
> In this they are the spark which the new spark splits from, and the newspark stay in the same spark chapter as their Orignator untill they are stong enough to survive indepently. 
> 
> The Catalyst is your secondary parent, I guess dad or Sire would be the comparison, though unlike organic reproduction where a child is created from the DNA of both parents, The Catalyst doesn't nessassaily contribute anything to the newspark. It's simply that they somehow (usually through a spark merge) cause the newspark to split from their originators spark. 
> 
> From their All sparks are subtly altered by any other spark their come into direct connect with. Basically sparks with close contact become more similar, The spark spectrum analysis looks at set reference points to see how similar two sparks are. 
> 
> A new spark would normally be VERY similar to it's originator since the two sparks spent a lot of time in close contact. A new spark will also resemble other sparks that it's originator merges with often. (So yes :P multiple parents can be a thing) it also means that Catalysts who didn't spark merge alot with the Originator won't have a large impact on a new spark. 
> 
> Still working on it, and I've got no clue on how frames work or how Bee ended up with megatron's helm sensors but hey small steps XD but yeah that's what I'd going with XD.


	7. Starscream

Starscream passed his lab. It didn’t make any sense at all. Sure Bumblebee was a mini and Optimus was a truck, but they were both from Iacon. So have no points of match at all? It just didn’t add up to him. 

It got weirder. He’d been running spectrum tests for almost half a cycle now and none of it made any sense. None of the autobot had any matches with prime, plenty of matches amongst each other. Pit their tactician and their best sniper had enough matches that Starscream wouldn’t have been surprised to learn that that one was the other’s Originator. Then again Praxian’s tended to be like that in any case. Very little diversity of code. Actually seekers were like that as well. In any case it was completely absurd for Prime to have no matches with anyone. It just didn’t make any sense. 

He looked at the results of his latest test, another one in the range of Originator, perhaps a little light for such a match but it depended on the other influences, could be a really dedicated contributor or just a a random pair of seekers. He checked who he’d been testing again.    
“Oh,” he said softly, “Oh no.”

Megatron and Bumblebee. 


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> in character what is this in character of which you speak.   
> No one here is in character. if they are it is random chance not design.

“Come to gloat Optimus?” Megatron said when the call connected. Barely concealed rage crackled through his field. He couldn’t believe he’d nearly fallen for it. He wondered if Optimus had deliberately planned this of if Bumblebee’s helm petals were a complete coincidence. 

“What no? Megatron why would you think that?”

“Do not play me for a fool Optimus. Soundwave has run a spectrum analysis. I know Bumblebee isn’t our Sparkling.”

“What?” Megatron imagined he could feel the confusion in Optimus’s field. Optimus was that good an actor. “Yes of course, Why would you even think Bumblebee was ours?”

“You know why. He has a miner’s helm petals.” He chuckled darkly. “You can have what’s left of him after Vortex is finished with him.”

“What! You gave your own sparkling to Vortex.”

“He is  _ not  _ my sparkling.”

“Ah, Lord Megatron.” Starscream said behind him. 

“What is it starscream.” Megatron turned on him ignoring the panicking optimus behind him.”

“The results from Soundwave’s test weren’t right. I ran a bunch more and well… You match with bumblebee. Enough to be a donor at least.” 

Megatron’s field flared erratically. He had a Sparkling. Vortex had his sparkling. Megatron broke into a run. 


	9. Bumblebee

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had dinner with a friend so now im late XD

Bumblebee’s vocaliser spat static. He thought it had shorted when Voltex had crushed the second sensor petal. That was probably for the best. Right now he would say whatever it took to get the pain to stop. 

Vortex didn't seem to care. He just kept going, his field pressed up against Bumblebee's seemed delighted by the way Bee's field spiked and writhed in fear and pain. He  _ liked  _ feeling Bee in pain. He wasn't even asking questions any more. 

There wasn't any way for Bee to stop this. That may be easier, he didn't have to worry about betraying Optimus. He just had to endure.

Vortex was flung away from him and suddenly Megatron was there. Bee's field flared in panic. 

"No, no - it's okay, it's okay. I'm not going to hurt you."

What the frag? Megatron's field actually felt like he was trying to be soothing. 

Bee's vocaliser spat static again.

Megatron turned on Vortex, rage in his field. "What in the pit were you doing? His vocaliser isn't even online. Get me Knock Out."

He didn't wait for a response, instead scooping Bumblebee up in his arms and heading out into the hall. 

What the frag was happening? 


	10. Optimus

Optimus was left with just Starscream on the other end of the call.

Starscream smirked at him. "So, you and Megatron then?"

Optimus's field flared with indignation. "I don't see how it's any of your business."

Starscream's wings flicked, "It might be. He was extremely certain the two of you were exclusive. You must have been pretty serious."

Optimus forced himself to stay calm, this was an old wound. It couldn't hurt him now. "We were both busy mecha, perhaps we just didn't have time for anyone else."

Starscream chuckled, "I very much doubt that. Based on the spectrum analysis the two of you must have been fragging most cycles."

"Yes and your analysis has been so reliable so far."

Starscream waved a hand. " _ Battlefield _ scans are hardly reliable, at this point I wouldn't be surprised if the scan we have on file as yours was actually for sol." he smirked, "Care to send me an accurate sample?"

"No."

"So you would have been fragging every chance you got, but you never told him you were sparked?"

Optimus was silent for a long moment. "I didn't know I was sparked."

"You didn't  _ know  _ you were sparked. Why in Primus's name were you fragging that often if you were trying to fuel a new spark? Megatron is  _ not _ that horny."

Optimus was silent. He'd remembered what it had been like. Meeting Megatron, getting to  _ know  _ him. He really should have realised he was sparked sooner, it wasn't like either of them had been running protocols to stop that kind of thing.

"Interfacing that often is dangerous, you risk completely changing your spark frequency, the only reason to do it would be if you were trying to make sure a new spark took after a secondary creator or if…" Starscream cut himself off wings flaring in surprise. 

Optimus flinched, he could see the moment Starscream realised. 

"You were trying to bond."

The call disconnected, and Optimus was left alone in the office, silent except for the faint hum of an open line. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bit longer today im pretty pleased...   
> Also I'm thinking about throwing some romantic relationships into the mix, i have my own ideas, but what ships do you wanna see?


	11. Bumblebee

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short one today

Megatron had set him down in what appeared to be a rather well stocked medbay. That made no sense — or actually it did. If his Decepticon intelligence files were to be believed, then Knock Out was a Decepticon medic, originally from Velocitron. 

“Yes, Lord Megatron?” 

Bumblebee tried to watch the mech surreptitiously. Knock Out was a new recruit, possibly a scout from Velocitron since the colony planet was still claiming independence in the civil war. Knock Out was a bright red sports car. His finish was immaculate, very different from what Bee was used to seeing. Then again Blurr was particular about his finish too, maybe it was a Velocitronian thing.

“Fix him.” Megatron pointed at Bumblebee. 

Knock Out frowned. “Are you sure? His injuries aren’t life threatening, he’s fit enough to be traded back to the Autobots.”

“We’re not going to trade him back. Now  _ fix  _ him.”


	12. Megatron

Megatron felt the way Bumblebee froze at his words. He turned his attention back to his sparkling. Bumblebee was his sparkling. Primus, how much had he missed? Bee had to be vorns old now. Anger flared in his field. Orion, Optimus had taken this from him too. It wasn’t enough for him to take the matrix and side with the council. 

Bumblebee flinched again. 

“No… Bumblebee. I’m not angry with you.” His words were stilted. How did you even talk to your sparkling when you’d tried to kill them on multiple past occasions? 

Bumblebee was watching him warily, his field held close. 

“I… I knew your Originator.”

Bumblebee’s field flared in surprise, confusion and curiosity. 

Megatron smiled to himself. Trust his sparkling to be so much like Orion. 

“Maybe it’s better if I just show you.” He had no idea how to say it, how to explain, but perhaps he didn’t have to. He undid the latches on his helmet. He lifted it off, sensor panels lifting up and fanning out around his head. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who went and napped through their normal writing time, XD  
> Just a short chapter today as a result. 
> 
> I think I need to decide what background megatron has for this...   
> Some weird cross between Prime and IDW? 
> 
> I'm just taking my favourite elements of everything I've seen/read and hoping it makes sense.   
> Megatron: Minor/Warrior/Poet  
> Optimus: data clerk/Prime/Jerk  
> (he's not that's just how Megatron feels XD) 
> 
> I'm never gonna forget the moment in prime when OP is just  
> We can't let megatron save our planet, that would give him to much political power.


	13. Bumblebee

They weren't going to let him go. Primus, what did Megatron want from him?

Then Megatron lifted off his helmet and Bee could only stare. He'd never seen another mech with sensor panels. 

' _ My creators?'  _ he asked, or tried to. His vocaliser was still damaged and just spat static. 

Megatron gave Knock Out a look Bumblebee could only describe as worried. "What's wrong with him?"

Knock Out ran a scanner over Bumblebee. "His vocaliser has short circuited, there's the sensor damage and some other superficial damage."

"Fix him."

"I'm working on it. I should be able to repair sensors -, I've worked on yours before, after all. The vocaliser will be harder."

"Knock Out!" 

"Yelling at me isn't going to change anything. Just use your sensor panels or whatever if you want to talk."

"You mean comms?"

"Sure, or that."


	14. Bumblebee

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> no voice bumblebee?

Bee vented, this day just kept getting weirder. He wasn’t going to find anything out if he just sat here though. He opened a broad spectrum commline, not sending it anywhere. If Megatron’s sensors were anything like his own he’d pick it up. 

::You knew my creators?::

Megatron’s field flared briefly in surprise. 

::Yes.::

::What were they like.::

There was a longer pause before Megatron answered. ::I was your catalyst.::

Bee’s vocaliser spat static again. What, Megatron had been his catalyst? How could that even be possible? His gaze was drawn back to the sensor panels on Megatron’s helm, petals he’d never seen on anyone else.

“Knock Out can’t you do  _ something  _ about his vocaliser!” Megatron snapped. 

“I suppose I could install one of the old casseticon ones. It’ll only be able to do tones though.”

“Yes that’s fine, I just don’t want to hear that one failing all the time.”

Knock Out started working on this vocaliser. 

Megatron had probably been more than just his catalyst though, if the helm petals were anything to go by at least, unless his Originator had the petals as well. 

::And my originator?::


	15. Megatron

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today marks two weeks of daily updates, I'm rediculously pleased with myself, thank you for all your support.

Megatron froze, his originator. Optimus. How could Megatron even begin to talk about Optimus as Bumblebee’s originator. Bumblebee didn’t even know… No, if Optimus didn’t want to tell Bumblebee that was his business. He wasn’t going to tell Bumblebee that little secret. 

::We met online, when I was fighting in the gladiatorial arena. He was an Iaconian data clerk.::

Megatron smiled remembering Orion’s first message to him. 

::He was passionate about the cause, believed every Cybertronian deserved fair treatment.::

Bumblebee was watching him intently. ::You loved him?::

Megatron was silent for a long moment thinking about Orion. 

::I did.:: 

It was the truth. He had loved Orion, loved him with his whole spark. Or at least he’d believed so until Orion betrayed him. 

::He never told me about you though.:: There was a bitterness to Megatron’s field. He would never have left Bumblebee with the Autobots had he known. 

::What happened?::

::I didn’t know he was in Iacon. He… I thought he knew we were invading. I didn’t understand what had happened until it was too late.::


End file.
